JCPenney: A new, well-reasoned approach to retailing

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

CEO Ron Johnson rolled out a new plan for JCPenney that includes:

Designer Michael Graves, Target to end partnership

February 8, 2012

After a 15-year collaboration, designer Michael Graves and Target are parting ways.

Is Amazon Prime the next retail game-changer?

February 8, 2012

Amazon Prime may be poised to redefine consumers' shopping expectations, according to a blogger on MSNBC. Prime, launched in 2005, is a membership program that…

Timberland stores testing interactive shopping experience

February 8, 2012

Timberland has launched an interactive shopping experience to help shoppers discover the great outdoors with Timberland gear, technologies and brand…

Consumers create the basis for growth strategies: Retail predictions for 2012

Once again, in 2012, there is a clear recognition that the omnichannel consumer is in charge.

Life (and Honda) moves pretty fast

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Matthew Broderick gave us a time-out during the Super Bowl, and for a middle-aged, recession-weary public, the timing couldn't have been better.

Walmart unveils 'Great For You' icon

February 7, 2012

A year after pledging to develop a front-of-pack label that would give its customers an easier way to identify healthier food, Walmart Stores has unveiled the…

Consumer Reports rates Costco as top major retail chain

February 7, 2012

Costco pleased shoppers better than any other retailer, according to a Consumer Reports survey of more than 26,000 readers, who told the organization about…

Four tips for exceeding your customer's expectations

by Doug Fleener — President and Managing Partner, Dynamic Experiences Group, LLC

When we exceed a customer's expectation he/she is more likely to make a purchase, become a repeat customer, and tell others about their great experience in our…

Low prices and drug shortages

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

"Essentially all of the drug shortages that occur in the U.S. arise in the generics market, where profitability is fairly low," Greg Conko, of the Competitive…

Dressing rooms offering customized experience

January 30, 2012

When C. Wonder, a trendy boutique in Westfield Garden State Plaza in New Jersey, opened on Black Friday, customers were more excited about the fitting room…

Target leads fight to stop 'showrooming'

Will other retailers follow Target's lead in asking vendors to create in-store-only products?

Why you should trust your hunches

by Harvey Mackay — Author, Mackay Mitchell

My favorite Peanuts character, Charlie Brown, is on the pitcher's mound psyching himself up: "It's the last of the ninth. The bases are loaded. there are two…

U.K. retailers looking to increase loyalty with better service, products

January 27, 2012

As U.K. retailers battle to grab market share from competitors, consumers should benefit from improved customer service and more innovative products that more…

Mobile retail startup Signature announces launch

January 26, 2012

Signature Labs, Inc. launched today, and the company said it is "making retail personal again by delivering VIP treatment to shoppers, both in and out of…

'Engage or Die' at CETW SF

January 26, 2012

Organizers of the Customer Engagement Technology World trade show recently announced that Brian Solis, author on new media and principal at Altimeter Group…

NRF 2012: Foresee-ing the customer experience

Analytics company Foresee discussed how software and metrics can help retailers eliminate the guesswork from evaluating their performance with shoppers.

Review: LightSpeed focuses on retailer's experience to improve the customer's experience

Mac-based POS offers desktop, laptop, web, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad functionality out-of-the-box.

My rich best friend, Apple

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Apple Inc. posted its largest quarterly profit ever on Jan. 24. So good, in fact, that it places the iPhone maker among an elite group populated by very few…

JCPenney unveils plans for drastic overhaul

January 25, 2012

At an event this morning in New York, J. C. Penney Company Inc. revealed its "plans to become America's favorite store."